BuyAnyPart 3D prints spare parts for farming equipment

3Shares

BuyAnyPart, a UK-based online spare part supplier, has announced 3D printed part replacement service for obsolete farming equipment.

The online database currently houses 500,000 replacement parts. The parts can be searched using name or part number. Parts not available on the database can be ordered using BuyAnyPart’s on-demand 3D printing service.

The CEO of BuyAnyPart, David Smith, said “this technology [3D printing] opens a whole range of possibilities for farmers, who up until now have had to rely cannibalising other machines, or CNC manufacture of part to keep their older machinery running. But as machines age and fewer are in operation the spare parts get more and more difficult to source.”

Farmers can find themselves spending more time looking for a part than fixing the machine, if the part is available at all. We aim to change that by providing them a 3D printing service.”

Due to farmer ingenuity in renovating machinery the average lifespan of equipment is 20-40 years. However, during this time spare parts often become obsolete, therefore, difficult to replace. The Polish study showed that machine parts can be 19-61% more costly than their original price.

AHDB’s Henderson also explained that in the absence of a long-term machine replacement policy, keeping old machinery running remains a cost-effective alternative to early replacement.

But things might change now, as BuyAnyPart’s on-demand 3D printing service could make spare parts more accessible and affordable to the farmers.

Machinery and labor cost of British farms are between £288-593 per hectare. Image via PRLog

3D printing spare parts

Due to labor and cost saving benefits of 3D printed spare parts an increasing number of industries are using AM.

In a recent interview with 3D Printing Industry, Paul Guillaumot, founder and CEO of Spare Parts 3D, a service bureau, explained that 3D printing technology will be a game changer for spare part inventory management in the next five years.

Spare Parts 3D is also working with quality assurance company DNV GL of Norway. The purpose of this collaboration is to develop qualification and certification standards for the O&G and the marine industry.

Also in the maritime sector, Ivaldi Group, are providing on-demand services with additive manufacturing and metal fabrication technology for the maritime and offshore industries. The California HQ’d company, recently partnered with Wilhelmsen, the largest maritime network in the world. The partnership is for the provision of obsolete spare parts and non-critical components to the clients in the marine industry.

Due to its efficiency, it is hoped that on-demand 3D printing of spare parts will become the standard in the manufacturing industry.